Super Direct - 5.8

very cool, tough start. bring pads for the rocks, a blue TCU goes in at the beginning roof.

bouldery start but great stances under the roof for bomber gear...once youre out of the roof the climbing is super mellow. traverse can be difficult to protect for the second

5.8 my ass... I aided my way through the start and then enjoyed some really nice climbing up until the chimney.

I climbed this in *cough* 3 pitches. It should have been 2 but I screwed up and created too much rope drag on pitch 2 and had to break it up at a little bushy ledge. I began by aiding my way through the start (feels more like a really hard 5.10 series of moves) and moved up the easy face and crack after that (5.6ish). I set the belay after stepping left over the roof and into a really nice spot. It was pretty exposed but had a very comfortable ledge and, once seated, a head level crack for gear. Note: make sure your anchor is bomber if your second might have to work the start! I completed a traverse section which wasn't at all bad and came to the base of a chimney which had a tree with a rap station. I proceeded to royally screw up this section as I wasn't entirely sure where the line went and created monster rope drag. I passed a green leafy area (my eventual 2nd belay) and traversed under when I should have climbed up through a slight overhang. At the overhang you are about 40 feet from the top/Crow's nest. I'll go this way next time, although I think it's a bit runout. It may also be possible to climb outside the chimney and continue diagonally left and up to the crow's nest. The outside of the chimney felt pretty exposed though and rock quality was poor.

The start earns the grade, the rest is probably 5.6 with just a couple of 7 moves, if that.

I've never seen an 8 with a crux like this. Definitely a sandbag. It took me several tries to pull this very low crux. A support crew fed me additional gear from the ground. Fire a #2 TCU into the roof, as you go, followed by a mid-sized nut (any will do) in the corner of the roof. Gain the generous stance, empty your pants of any rocks that may have been dislodged in your struggles, and use a cord to haul up the rest of your rack, which you have cleverly left on the ground for the crux. The rest of the route features spectacular 5.6ish moves. The second pitch, though lichen-covered, is thoroughly enjoyable, although incredibly susceptible to rope drag. Definitely recommended for a solid 5.9 -5.10 leader. I'd call this a 10a, but the rest of the route climbs much easier than that.

Well , I've learned the meaning of "Burly" , its deffinatly 3 grades higher! Found the moves I was missing.Went thru the roof 1st try. VERY fun climbing after that. Had to belay at the "Faux's Nest" to cut down on rope drag. Slings and rings AT the big dead pine . The 2nd P is covered in lichen after the chimney. Next time we'll rap down at the Faux's Nest. If the start were easier this would be one of the most climbed routes there. I do need to find some larger nuts before I lead this, Maybe next year, maybe Joe will let me borrow his!